


All Those Who Wander

by circular_infinity



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Don’t copy to another site, Gen, Maria and Max friendship, Set pre-series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 20:53:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18724792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/circular_infinity/pseuds/circular_infinity
Summary: It's late when Max Evans brings Mimi back to the Wild Pony.





	All Those Who Wander

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Dia de Maria event on tumblr.

It's a Wednesday night at the Wild Pony so the normal crowd has mostly gone home leaving the 'drink until they pass out or get kicked out' customers. Maria thinks it's a minor miracle that Guerin hasn't started a fight with Racists Hank or Wyatt, but his bar tab is getting pretty high so it's probably only a matter of time. 

When Max walks in Maria wonders who called him or if he's just getting the same sense she is for the timing of these things, but then she sees Mimi trailing in behind him and Maria's heart nearly stops. She'd left her at home, sleeping, hours ago. How long has she been out and why is she getting brought back by the cops? 

Mimi's wearing Max's uniform jacket and she looks small in it, like something fragile and it hurts Maria's heart to see it. 

“Is she hurt? Did she do something?” Maria asks, sudden fear settling in her gut as she rushes to them. 

Her mom doesn't look injured and has never gotten violent before, but maybe there’s a first time for everything? Surely if something bad had actually happened the cops would have brought her to the station instead of here? 

“No,” Max says quickly, taking off his hat. “She was loitering and it’s getting cold. She didn’t seem too aware of either of those thing. She's not in any trouble. It just seemed best to bring her back here." 

Maria wants to drop everything to focus on her mom, but she is, as usual, the only one working at the bar and so she can't. She guides Mimi to a booth away from the patrons, but still easily in her line of sight when she's standing at the bar. 

"You've got to stop wandering off like that, Mom," she says gently. "What if something had happened?" 

Mimi takes her hand and gives her that kind, but far away smile. 

"Nothing bad happened today," she says. 

"Okay Mom," Maria says. "Stay here for now, all right? For me?" 

"Anything for you," Mimi says and hearing that is almost worse than if she'd refused because Maria knows it's not a promise Mimi can keep even if she wants to. 

Maria turns back to the bar to find that Max is still standing a little awkwardly by it, his hat in his hands, and Maria feels her heart plummet towards her shoes. He said she wasn't in any trouble, but what if this is a prelude to a " _keep her off the streets_ " talk or worse " _you should put her in a home before she becomes a danger to herself and others_ "? 

Maria puts on the bravest face she can manage, goes up to him and asks, "Anything else?" 

"Do you think I could get my jacket back?" he asks. "I probably shouldn't leave it here." 

"Oh." That's perfectly reasonable. "Yeah, one second. Can you watch the bar for a bit?" 

"No problem." 

Maria ducks into the back room for a shawl for Mimi and exchanges it for Max's jacket. 

"Thanks," he says, takes it when she holds it out to him, gives her a little ' _ma'am_ ' nod and turns to go, but she stops him. 

"Thank you," she says. "For bringing her back here." 

"Just doing my job." 

"Where was she? I thought she was at home, asleep." 

“She was waiting outside the emporium,” Max says. “I think she thought it was a movie theater and was looking to buy tickets.” 

“To ‘Independence Day’?” Maria asks. 

“Yeah. She kept talking about waiting for Will Smith.” 

“It’s always that movie,” she says. “I’m beginning to really hate that movie.” 

“I’ve never liked it,” Max admits. “Do they know what’s – “ he cuts himself off. “Never mind. I’m sorry, it’s none of my business.” 

“No, it’s fine,” Maria sighs. “We don’t know. So far they’ve ruled out everything physical.” 

“Ah,” Max says, an odd expression crossing his face. "I'm sorry. Look, if you ever find you need help looking for her, but don't want to get the authorities involved you can me directly and I'll help." 

That gives Maria pause. She'd thought she had a good read on Max. He has a reputation for being fair, but ultimately as a rule-follower. He's not someone you'd need to worry about pulling you over, but you'd probably get a ticket if he did. 

"Why?" she asks. 

Max ducks his head and after a pause he admits, "Because I know what it's like to spend all night looking for someone." 

At first she assumes he means in his capacity as a cop, but the way he says it makes it sound personal, private even. Maria thinks about the carefully manicured reputation that the Evans family upholds. She'd known it must have been hiding something, but she hadn't guessed this. 

"It sucks," she says. 

She doesn't know why she's opening up to anyone about this, never mind someone she doesn't know very well, but she's suddenly reminded of the soft spot Liz had for him in high school and he seems to have some idea of what this feels like. 

"Yes, it does," he agrees. 

"It's almost worse the next week," she says. "When all you can do is wonder where they were and what they did before you found them." 

"And any time they don't answer their phone you're suddenly afraid that it's not because they're busy, but because something's happened." 

"And you never know which version of them you're going to get." 

"Yeah," Max says. 

They both take a moment to let that depressing thought sink in. 

"I need a drink," Maria announces and goes back behind the bar. "Anything for you?" 

"No, thanks," Max says. "I'm still on duty. Things seem pretty quiet here tonight. I should get going anyway." 

He gives her a nod and leaves, donning his hat and jacket as he goes. 

Maria pours herself, and downs, a shot of tequila and then gets a glass of water for her mom, topping it off with a lime. Racist Hank is passed out on the floor and Racist Wyatt is drunkenly, but quietly, playing pool by himself. Guerin must have skipped out while Maria was distracted, but all in all, it's not a bad night. 

She goes over to give Mimi the water and slides into the booth across from her. 

"An alien found me tonight," Mimi says. 

"Not Will Smith?" Maria asks. 

"Will dealt with the bad aliens," Mimi reminds her. 

"Yes, of course," Maria says, lacking the energy to argue with it tonight. "However it happened, I'm glad you're safe." 

Mimi reaches across the table and takes Maria's hand and for the moment, that's enough.


End file.
